Old Bottle for New Wine: PRC Copyright Legislation in the Digital Context

Abstract

Since the invention of the art of printing, technology has been constantly affecting copyright law by bringing forth the need for adjusting the interests of different parties concerned. The introduction and widespread use of the Internet in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) will inevitably expand the domain of traditional copyrights. However the evolution of the copyright regime shall serve digital technology by prolonging the reach of Internet users. Therefore, a new approach has to be found in the effort to adapt the current copyright regime to the digital environment. This effort, moreover, should seek to maintain a balance between the rights of the owners of copyrighted works on the one hand and those of the digital service providers and users on the other.